The Game: Season Four Starts on BET in January 2011

Published: October 12, 2010

It turns out The Game isn’t over yet. It just took a timeout, albeit a long one. The sitcom originally ran on The CW network for three seasons, with the last of the first-run episodes appearing in May of 2009. BET has announced it’s bringing the series back on January 11, 2011. The hope is to build on fan interest that began even before the original series cancellation was announced.

The Game is a comedy/drama produced by Kelsey Grammer and is a spin-off of the series Girlfriends. Tia Mowry stars as a first-year med student who ignores being accepted into Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, preferring instead to follow her boyfriend (Pooch Hall) to San Diego. He’s been tapped by a professional football team as a promising new rookie. Other castmembers include Brittany Daniel, Coby Bell, Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson.

Even before The Game was cancelled by The CW, BET began syndicating reruns of the series, with some of the episodes garnering higher numbers than they did when they originally aired on The CW. Now the cable channel is looking to expand on its original programming to get more money from their advertisers, money that only high-end scripted series can bring in. With The Game bringing a large fan response in syndication, BET execs were convinced that new episodes would be a viable option to anchor their other new programming.

BET’s senior vice president of original programming, Charlie Jordan Brookins, said, “This is the beginning of building what scripted programming means to BET.” They have a selection of drama projects in development at the cable outlet, yet are deciding to start this new programming with comedies, because they can get them on the air more quickly.

How many more seasons of The Game would you like to see?

With the new production of the Game series, they’ll need to downscale from what the show was used to on The CW. To start, they’ll save on the costs and will also take advantage of some tax incentives by moving the series from Los Angeles to Atlanta, where the series is now in production at the EUE/Screen Gems studio.

Stars Mowry and Hall were eager to pick up where they left off, as were many from the writing staff. Some of the scribes who couldn’t return to the writers room are submitting freelance scripts.

Executive producer Mara Brock Akil claims, “Everyone on our team wants to just shock everybody and make it even better than it was on the CW. How do you do that with less money? You have to be more creative. There’s definitely a bigger rock to push up the hill, but we want it to be a huge success not only for us but for the network.”

Brock Akil is willing to work hard to make The Game a success on BET, feeling the show never had the attention it deserved on the old network. “What we never had before was the marketing component to support the show.” Yet as a new flagship series for original BET programming, “they know what they have, and they want us to help grow their audience. That’s exciting for us.”

What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing new episodes of The Game? How long do you think it will continue this time? One season, two or ?

I loved the new episode, i think the writers were very good. I love the new story line, alot of drama packed into one hour! Im excited to see Maliks character evolve, looks like some destruction and redeeming for him this season, and tasha mac and terrence
The attitudes of some characters have changed but this is a 2 yr span! alot happens in 2 yrs. Think about yourselves, havent you changed some how from 2 yrs ago? dont worry the writers know fans loved the original characters and attitudes, the evolution, and redeming character plots will keep you watching! Good job BET!

Well last night was the first episode of The Game….ummmmm I’m thinking it’s going to have to grow on me. It is very different and I think BET really needs to step up. It was not what I expected, but I will be watching to see if it gets better…..

I enjoyed the first episode of the new season a lot! I was disappointed at the attitudes of some of the cast members but that makes for good drama. Poor Tee Tee get treated poorly by Malik, and Kelly Pitts has more attitude than ever! It makes you wonder what will become of everyone!
Thank you BET for bringing back the best show ever!

So glad to see the Game on a network where it can be truly appreciated, I have watch the re-runs religiously so it was almost like it never left. I can see the show is taking a different twist than in previous scripts, there’s a more serious life like situations and less sit com laugh tracks. Ironically this is the direction the CW stated it wanted but couldnt foresee an audience for it. Should be food 4 thought this season, it should change sit com range for black television if successful.

Sooooo glad The Game is coming back! Love the show, the cast, the real-life issues, the fabulous fashion the women bring to the show and who can be disappointed by the handsome men! Can’t wait to see it. Thanks BET.

I love the tv show the game, I can’t wait to see the new episodes. I just want to thank the cast, bet and Kelsey Grammer for bring the show back. I love the relationship between Malic and his mother Tasha Mac.

When they took The Game off I was upset, because I thought it was an outstanding show. I think they should of been on BET from the beginning. I been watching the re-runs like crazy…. I feel like I know them personally….LOL! Anyway, I’m very excited that they are coming back and can’t wait to see what season four has in store.